Cement building construction.



B. A. HAM.

CEMENT BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3, 1914.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

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Spzmification of Letters Eatent.

, CETEENT BUILDING: CDNSTRUCEION.

Patented Nov, id, 1914,

Application filed Aogustfi, 1814. serial No. 854,665.

provement in Cement Building Constructi'oh, of whichthe following is aspecificaner in which they are attached. Prior to.

tion. v

This invention relates to certain improve-v merits in construction ofbuildings having a wooden frame-Work, or studding, which is covered onthe exterior with a veneer of relatively thin cement blocks, and, moreparticularly relates to certain improvements in cement blocks adaptedfor such purpose, and the means associated therewith for attaching themto the-studding, and the inanmy invention, cement blocks havebcenprovided with attaching means which comprise a reinforcing rod,having WII'GS, attached thereto, said rod and attached portion of the Iwires being embeddedin the block and said some extended beyondthe innersurface of the block and being-adapted to be connected.

to the frame of the'building' to hold the .blocks in place. In thepractical employmento'f these attaching means various difiiculties arepresented. It is d-ifficult to cast the blocks so that the wires whichare at- I tached to the rod will project from their f inner sides,inasmuch as the most convenient method of making the same is to castthem in ashallow mold, and, as the upper surface of the block must bethefinished surface, the side next the bottom must be the inner side of theblock, from which the wires must project, furthermore, said projectingwires are liable to be broken in setting the block in place, in whichcase the lam tire block might be rendered useless.

The object of my invention is to provide the blocks with means, whichare adapted to be entirely embedded in the cement at the time the blockis cast, so that they do not protrude beyond the surface of the block,thereby enabling the block to be cast in a shallow mold and its uppersurface to be finished as desired before the cement hardens, andavoiding the necessity of having attaching means'protrude through thebottom of the mold, when the biock is cast, said means being adapted toreceive attaching means, at any time after the-block has been removedfrom the mold, or when it is placed in position against the studdmg,

which may be employed to bind the block I =securely to the studding andto draw the blocks closely together at their ends. I accomplish thisobject by the means shown in the accompanying drawing, in Which:-

Figure 1 is an elevation of the inner side of a cement block providedwith my .inven:

tion. Fig.2 is a cross sectional view thereof v on the line 2-2 Fig. 1.Fig. 3is an elevation showing the inner side of the buildihg 'studdingwith the cement blocks attached thereto in amanner embodying myinvention. Ifig. 1s a top plan View thereof. F g. 5 IS a cross sectionalviewoi'a mold for forming the blocks, illustrating the" method which 1preferably employ in melt ing said blocks, Fig. 6 is a detaii-view ofthe iastener-receivmg means which 'i em- I ploy.- v

According to my invention, in the process of manufacture of the cementbloclrs a,;-a reinforcing rod 1) is embedded in the middle of eachblock, said rod being of sufficient lengthto extend from end to endthereof,

and azseries of U-shapod tubes 0 are also embedded-therein, and arrangedto extend around said rod with their ends flush with the inner surfaceof the block.

in practice, the blocks are cast in shallow molds, as d, preferablybetween two and three inches in depth," and of the required length andbreadth, and when the mold is,

partly filled the rod b is laid therein. The ends of the tubes areclosed with some readily removable means, as'a cork stopper c, and thensaid tubes are inserted in the cement astride the rod and pressed downuntil their ends touch, or bear against the bottom of the mold, as shownFigs. 5 and 6. The filling of the mold is then completed, so that therod and tubes are covered, and the top surface is finished as desired.Nu-

'merous diderent eiiects' in'finish may be conveniently secured on theupper surface of the block when cast in this manner, as-

it is convenient of access and special finishing material may be appliedto time surface before the cement hardens.

After the cement hardens and is removed from themold, a cement blockwill beprovided having one or more reflexed passages therein, which opento the inner side of the block, or the side which is toenga ge the wallof the structure when in position thereon. 7 r

is the construction or the building, the

studs f are arranged at the customary distance apart, and the blocks aare made of studs, so that the inner sides of the blocks restthereagainst, and the cndsot the blocks of one course terminate directlyopposite the middle of the blocks in the ad acent COUUISQS.

Either before, or after the blocks are placed in position against thestuds, the corlts e are removed from the ends of the tubes 0, and alength of strong, flexible wire 9 pushed through each tube, this beingeasily ossible, as said tube is of curved form. hen said tubes 0 areplaced in position at the time the blocks are cast, they are arranged sothat, when the blocks are in position against the studs, each tube willbe closely adjacent one sideof a stud. Further, I preferably arrange oneof said tubes adjacent each end of each block, so that the wires whichare placed therein protrude ad jacent the adjacent sides of the studswhich the block partly overlaps, and arrange two tubes adjacent themiddle thereof, so that the wires therein are disposed at opposite sidescf'the stud which engages the middle portion of the block. Each end ofone middle wire is then attached to the corresponding end of the othermiddle wire by merely twisting said ends together, after they have beenpassed about the inner side of the stud,

so that the block is firmly attached to the stud, and, in like manner,the ends of the wire in each of the end tubes are passed about theadjacent stud and connected to the wires in the adjacent tube of thenext block. In fastening said end wires the blocks are drawn together sothat the cement which is placed between the ends of the blocks will bepressed therebetween, making a close joint. 1 or convenience inillustration, the ends of the wires are shown as twisted together at theinner sides of the studs, but, in practice, they are preferably twistedtogether at the intermediate sides, so that there will be practicallynothing to interfere with the application of the laths to the inner sideat any point.

It will be observed that, after a length of wire has been cut 0d andinserted in a tube, so that both end-portions of the wire extend fromthe ends of the passage formed thereon, the wire may be readily slidback and forthas desired, so that the relative lengths of saidprotruding end-portions may be varied, as may be convenient inattaching' the same to the studs.

The erection of the wall will be continued when it is finished, itsinterior may be provided with a coating of waterproof material toprevent the passage of moisture therethrough and the usual lath andplaster finish will then be applied.

The U-shaped tubes, while serving primarily as a convenient means ofconnecting the attaching Wires after the blocks are cast, also serve toprotect the wires from moisture entering through the block, so that thepossibility that the wires may become rusted away in time is avoided,and, to prevent all possibility that this may occur, the tubes arerefcrably made of waterproof material.

ile the above described invention is believed to be especiallyadvantageous when used in connection with a building frame composed ofstuds, beams, posts, and the like, and is more particularly designed,specilically, for use in this connection, it may be employedinconnection with the wall of any structure through which the attachingwires may be passed, so that they may be socured on the inner sidethereof.

I claim 1. A concrete block constructed to be placed against the outerside of a structure and having a fastener-receiving tube embeddedtherein and opening at each end to the inner face of the block.

2. A concrete block constructed to be placed against the outer side of astructure 4. A. condrete block constructed to be laced against the outerside of a building rame and having a pair of U-shaped tubes embeddedtherein and opening at opposite sides of a stud-engaging portion of theblock, and a flexible Wire extending through each tube, the end portionsthereof being adapted to be extended about a building frame stud and tobe connected together.

5 A concrete block constructed to be placed against the outer side of astructure and having a reinforcing rod and a it shaped fastener-receivintube embedded therein, said tube extending about said rod and opening atits ends at: the inner side of the block.

6. A concrete block constructed to be placed against the outer side of astructureand from end to end, and a U-shaped tube extending about saidrod, said rod and tube being embedded in the block andsaid tube openingat its ends, at the inner side thereot, and a having a reinforcing rodextending flexible atta 1i Wire dispesed in said tube end pmriinnsadapted for at e structure. were b1001 constructedto be placed a inst astructure Wall and having :1 refiexe e1astener-z'ecei'ving passagetherein opening at both ends to the Well-engaging face of the block atdifferent points therein. 8. A concrete block constructed to be placedagainst a structure Wall and having a l'eflexed passage *herein openingat both ends to the Wall-engaging face of the block, and an nt'mchinvwire i-didably arranged in said passage an. tending from both endsthereof to engage e stwctazre well.

nd inning @achment to 9. A can vete block construe/ted te be placedagainst a structure vial? and having a refiexed passage therein epeningat both ends to the Wall-engaging face cf sfihe block, and a flexibleattaching device slidably ar- 20 ranged in said passage and extendingfrom both ends thereof to engage the structure wall In testimonywhereof, I have signed my name to ibis speeifieatien, in the presence 250f twe subscribing witnesses. I

BENJAMIN A. HAM.

. itnesses H. HARRIMMI J.. DAVIS.

